Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce talk tariffs and their penguin co-stars in 'The Penguin Lessons'

Record ID: 1988087

  • Title: Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce talk tariffs and their penguin co-stars in 'The Penguin Lessons'
  • Date: 3rd April 2025
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 3, 2025) (REUTERS) DIRECTOR PETER CATTANEO ARRIVING WRITER JEFF POPE SPEAKING WITH CATTANEO (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, PETER CATTANEO, SAYING: "When I started researching it, one of the first things I came across was 'disappeared denial' as being a growing thing in Argentina. And that swung it. I thought, well, I'm not going to d
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  • Keywords: Jeff Pope Jonathan Pryce Peter Cattaneo Steve Coogan The Penguin Lessons The Penguin Lessons film Tom Michell penguin movie
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: UK
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Film
  • Reuters ID: LVA001360002042025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: An old film industry adage warns never to work with animals or children but for British actor Steve Coogan, playing a teacher and co-starring with real penguins in his new comedy drama was a lesson in mindfulness.
    Set in 1976 and inspired by true events, "The Penguin Lessons" tells the story of an unexpected friendship between Buenos Aires-based boarding school teacher Tom Michell (Coogan) and a penguin he rescues from an oil slick during a holiday in Uruguay.
    After unsuccessful attempts to return the sole survivor of the oil slick to the ocean or leave him behind, Michell has no choice but to bring the bird back to Argentina. Gradually, the presence of the penguin, who gets named Juan Salvador, helps unlock the potential and the trapped emotions of Michell, his colleagues and their students, while around them the country grapples with political turmoil and the military coup that led to widespread repression, torture and disappearances.
    The film team worked with several penguins, with partners Richard and Baba acting out most of the key scenes.
    "I thought that working with penguins and children would be a chaotic experience but in actual fact, because we had to look after the welfare of the penguins and not make any loud noises, the atmosphere on set was actually quite calm and it had a sort of ripple effect through the crew," Coogan said at the film's premiere in London on Thursday (April 3).
    "People sort of talk about mindfulness, don't they, and when you look at a penguin, you realise he's not anxious about tomorrow and he's not preoccupied with what happened yesterday. He's just sort of in the moment being a penguin so there's something we can all draw from that, I think," Coogan added.
    The film also stars actor Jonathan Pryce in the role of the school's headmaster Buckle. Pryce said the penguins were unexpectedly topical because of the tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
    "There are two islands that are solely populated by penguins but have had tariffs put upon them by the American government. It's for real. And they've got nothing to export but America's claiming billion dollars of exports from the penguins," said Pryce, adding he was concerned about the effects of the tariffs on "every aspect of society".
    Based on Michell's memoir of the same name, the film is directed by "The Full Monty" filmmaker Peter Cattaneo and co-written by Oscar-nominated "Philomena" screenwriter Jeff Pope and Michell.
    Cattaneo said the film team held long conversations about combining the heartwarming story of the penguin and one of the bloodiest periods of Argentina's history and even considered changing the film's timeframe.
    "When I started researching it, one of the first things I came across was 'disappeared denial' as being a growing thing in Argentina. And that swung it. I thought, well, I'm not going to deny it. I'm not going to write it out of the film because it's difficult to deal with," Cattaneo said.
    "It's a story about how in a little way we can still do something to affect those around us. Small acts of kindness, small acts of generosity and that's what the story is about, when all around you seems lost, there is still something you can do," added Pope.
    Playing the dry-witted and world-weary English teacher allowed Coogan to showcase his comedic and emotional range, as well as his dance moves and Spanish skills.
    "All the stuff about it that seemed like hard work was actually really enjoyable so I was lucky to be able to play a role like this," said Coogan, who learned tango and who delivers his lines in Spanish in several scenes of the film.
    For Michell, getting to see his story told on the big screen was yet another feather in his cap.
    "How did I feel when Penguin Books found my book and wanted to do it? I didn't have an agent. How did I feel when I was told it was translated to 24 languages? How did I feel when I was told the South Korean educational committee wanted to include it in their national curriculum? Eat your heart out, J.K. Rowling. Frankly, my jaw has been on the ground so many times. It's been an extraordinary journey," Michell, 73, said.
    "The Penguin Lessons" is out in U.S. cinemas now and released globally from April 17.
    (Production: Stuart McDill, Hanna Rantala)
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